If You’re Going To: New York City

There have been songs written about autumn in New York, but the late summer can be just as exciting. The city is full of activities, especially outdoor events that take advantage of the last days of balmy weather before the fall. There are movies, theater, and concerts under the stars, and fireworks and street fairs in all of the city’s five boroughs. Check out my selection of events for all tastes and ages:

The New-York Historical Society is offering this exhibit on the history of brewing in the city through September 2. Sure, it provides all of the historical context around immigration and access to clean water that made New York an early beer capital, but the best part comes at the end: a beer hall featuring a selection of local brews. Admission to the exhibit is $15 for adults, $10 for students and $5 for kids, and beer is extra (and only for adults).

It’s a bit of a misnomer, because this cultural festival celebrating the historic uptown neighborhood goes on through the entire month of August. It includes free music and sports events, the Upper Manhattan Auto Show, activities for children and senior citizens, a 5K race, and much more. Some highlights include the Summer in the City Festival (August 18) and Harlem Day (August 19), when you can find outdoor stages featuring everything from a tribute to Soul Train to a children’s street fair, as well as the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival (August 25), with a free outdoor concert featuring many music stars.

If Broadway shows are out of your price range, or if you’re looking for something more adventurous than your average musical, this annual experimental performance festival that runs from August 10-26 is a cheap, offbeat theater experience. Tickets for the nearly 1,200 performances by more than 200 companies from around the world are $15 each ($18 at the door) and even cheaper for kids and senior citizens. Some past successes in this festival have made the jump to off-Broadway and even Broadway, so if you pick right, you could be watching the next Blue Man Group.

The Coney Island boardwalk is an attraction on its own, with several pavilions along its length offering street performers, DJs, and all kinds of free entertainment. But on Friday nights through August, the show is overhead: a free fireworks display erupts at 9:30 p.m.

The Grand Slam of tennis stops at the U.S. Tennis Center in Flushing Meadow Park every year on the two weeks around Labor Day, August 27 to September 9. This year, the kickoff event, the Arthur Ashe Kids Day on August 25, will feature performances by singers Carly Rae Jepsen and Jordin Sparks, and games and activities for children. Tickets for Kids Day are $10 and $20, depending on seat location; tickets for matches vary and sell out quickly. If you can’t get tickets to the matches at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, you can try for grounds admission tickets, which let you enter the complex and check out the tennis stars practicing or playing secondary matches in the other courts.

The annual fashion industry promotion is a national event, but since New York is the fashion capital of the country and the headquarters of many of its sponsors, nobody does it like the Big Apple. Stores will stay open late September 6 with events and special offers from 6 p.m. to nearly midnight. Celebrities often come out in support, so you may find yourself going through the racks next to a movie star or supermodel.

There have been songs written about autumn in New York, but the late summer can be just as exciting.

The non-profit Downtown Boathouse lends kayaks to beginners for a short paddle on the Hudson River through October, and offers three-hour guided trips for more experienced paddlers Arrive at the boathouse on a weekend, holiday and some weekday evenings before 7 p.m. for a free 20-minute kayak loan that includes a life jacket and basic kayaking tips. Just bring a bathing suit, shorts, t-shirt, and a lock to secure your stuff in the changing room.

Join the hipsters—and everyone else—in Brooklyn on Sundays until November for what is arguably the most popular flea market in the city. And it’s not all used clothing and furniture: the Brooklyn Flea is well known for being a foodie heaven and has spawned Smorgasburg, an offshoot market on Saturday that features only food and vendors of food-related items such as housewares and utensils.

When they get tired of culture, let the kids try a museum that’s more their speed. In the Queens neighborhood of Astoria (home to movie studios long before Hollywood), the Museum of the Moving Image has exhibits about the craft and history of moviemaking. Through September 23, the museum is hosting “Aliens, Gadgets, and Guns: Designing the World of Men in Black 3,” an exhibit all about the sci-fi flick. There are also hands-on exhibits that include a real Yoda from Star Wars and continuous screenings of The Muppet Show. Tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for children.

If you miss the beer exhibit, don’t worry, Brooklyn Brewery offers free daily tours of its facilities with no reservations necessary. The only requirement is you not wear open-toed shoes (it is a factory, after all). The brewery has a tasting room where you can try the product; beer tokens are $5 or 5 for $20 and you can bring your own food. On Mondays though Thursdays at 5 p.m., you can also take a Small Batch tour for $8, which includes a four-beer tasting (reservations required).